MANY MINDEDUK Solar Fires Highlight Safety Gaps in Rapid Expansion
QBE’s analysis of UK fire services data reveals DC cabling and connectors were attributed to 49 of 212 photovoltaic system fires in 2025. This represents 23% of all PV-related fires that year, rising from 91 cases in 2022. Meanwhile, solar installations grew 52% during the same period, reaching 1.93 million operational systems by end-2025. The fire rate remains low at less than 0.07 per 1,000 systems, but lithium-ion battery fires surged to 1,760 in 2025—520 involving e-bikes alone. These trends suggest safety barriers are accelerating as solar adoption expands. The data reflects UK fire services records only and does not track system age or regional variations. While the fire rate appears manageable, the rapid growth of battery storage systems (23% of PV fires) creates new friction points for clean energy safety.
Source: pv magazine